If you were listening to R&B in the early 1990s, especially in Cleveland, you may recall Chris Bender’s hit song “Who Will I Choose?”
In the song Chris has a dilemma, he has two love interests contending for his heart. Interestingly, what Bender croons about is exactly the kind of conundrum Jesus captures in Matthew 7:13-23. Only when Jesus speaks of two love interests and a choice, it isn’t about two women vying for his holy heart; it’s about two ways of life vying for our hearts, attention and allegiance.
Much like Bender, Jesus is asking us today who we will choose.
Napoleon Harris
Jesus makes it plain: There is his way, and there’s another way. One leads to life; the other to destruction. One leads to fellowship and purpose with Jesus, the other to separation and ruin.
Jesus’ way is called the narrow way, and it has been misunderstood, proof-texted and reduced to mean only selective restrictions about superficial behaviors. Which is why our nation has had Prohibition against alcohol but never so much as a restraining order against hate. Why we’ve banned consuming bottles but never capitalism’s greed.
The narrow way is the way of the Beatitudes — a lifestyle of mercy, peacemaking, purity of heart, justice and humility. The narrow way is living socially just, equitable lives dedicated to the benefit and betterment of others. It’s narrow, literally a “pressed,” pressured and unpopular way of being in the world because it’s hard to forgive those who’ve hurt us, love enemies who persecute us, be generous when the world tells us to hoard. It’s hard to advocate for peace when war is profitable and the forger of our national identity.
However, Jesus holds that the narrow way is the only road that leads to life. It’s the liberating path of righteousness that shows what love can do when God reigns in our hearts.
“The litmus test of following Jesus isn’t right doctrinal theology so much as it is the right do-ology.”
Jesus also warns us of the dangers to expect along the narrow way: There will be false prophets, wolves in sheep’s clothing who look, dress and sound the part, who will even perform spiritual pyrotechnics of casting out demons and will try to sway us from the path of life. Jesus says despite their appearance to the naked eye, on the inside, they are ravenous wolves.
Jesus tells us not to be swayed by their ear-bending, soul-shaking preaching or any of their religious theatrics, because none of that is indicative of being on the right road. According to Jesus, there’s only one true litmus test, and trigger warning, it isn’t right belief, it’s right behavior.
The litmus test of following Jesus isn’t right doctrinal theology so much as it is the right do-ology.
Misleading prophets have taught that all we have to do is say the right words, confess Jesus with our mouths and believe in our hearts to be saved. However, biblically speaking, belief isn’t just cognitive; it includes conduct. To believe is to obey what God says. Belonging to Jesus means our conduct must match our confession. It’s understanding that Jesus’ eschatological kingdom assessment won’t be about right doctrine but righteous deeds.
The dilemma of Americanized Christianity is that it’s been reduced to confession alone, which is dangerous and deadly.
Consider its practitioners: The confessional Christians and violent insurrectionists of January 6, the confessional Christians of the Ku Klux Klan burning crosses in the name of Christ, the confessional Christian slavers who built churches on top of slave dungeons, the confessional Christians who are politicians endorsing genocidal wars and legislating against the poor.
“Confession without compassion is counterfeit.”
Confessional Christians are dangerous bad trees producing bad fruit. Confessional Christians also are doomed, because confession without compassion is counterfeit, and Jesus taught the only belief he counts as righteousness is a belief that behaves righteously.
I opened by referencing Chris Bender. Not long after his album released, his life was cut short by gun violence. Chris died because he acted as a human shield protecting his cousin from gun fire. Chris died so his cousin could live.
I can’t help but draw a parallel between Chris Bender and Christ. Chris sang about who he would choose, but Christ chose us. Christ chose to die so we might live.
So, the question stands before us: Who will we choose? Will we choose Jesus’ narrow way of forgiveness, love, service, mercy and justice, or the broad road of empty confessional religiosity?
To choose Jesus is to choose forgiveness over vengeance, generosity over greed, service rooted in justice, mercy and love over selfishness, hierarchy and hate. It’s not easy, but it’s right — and it leads to life.
Napoleon J. Harris serves as senior pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Cleveland.